A sex assault by a man with a history of attacks on elderly women left one victim "destroyed", an inquest heard.

Winifred Smith died nine days after Darren Emmerson forced his way into her Bedfordshire home and attacked her.

Her sister Betty Cook, told Ampthill Coroners Court that before the attack Mrs Smith had been very ill but she was "destroyed" by what happened.

In a narrative verdict, coroner Tom Osborne said Mrs Smith died from acute coronary failure.

After his arrest at a residential home Emmerson, 40, who has Asperger's Syndrome, admitted attacking Mrs Smith and was detained in a secure hospital in August, under section 37 of the Mental Health Act.